Blast to the Past
by CakeIsAGoodFriend
Summary: Getting pulled into a new era certainly wasn't an ideal plan. When Max gets sucked back in time through a crazy machine, she's faced to deal with a whole different time period. How will she deal with lovely ladies, near-demonic duchesses, and a few princes that have taken a particular interest in her? And now that she's gotten herself sucked into this era, will she ever get out?
1. Chapter 1

**I said I'd have it up by June, and boy did I wait till the very end of it to post, huh? :P Truthfully, I wrote this a while ago, but put off posting it… Anyway, I'm not going to delay the read any longer.**

**Disclaimer: I will only say this once throughout the entire story, so here goes. I do not, have not, nor will I ever own Maximum Ride.**

**Ch. 1:**

**Max POV**

"Sam, not again!" I sighed in exasperation.

"Max, this is serious. I can't just leave off here. I'm almost done constructing the beauty." He yelped at me, running a hand through his shaggy, chestnut brown hair.

"I'm serious, too." I glared at him. "And if you don't get in the damn truck, we're going to be late for school."

"I just have to test it out. I mean, I just tightened the last screw…"

"For God's sake, man! The past twenty haven't worked, what makes you think this one will?" I challenged.

He crossed his arms and matched my glare. While nowhere near as good as mine, I had to commend him for trying.

This stubborn… _thing_ was what I called my best friend. Sam Haynes was a ten year-old trapped in a seventeen year-old's body. He called himself an inventor- he really just liked playing with tools he found in his dad's garage. He thought he was intellectually advanced- he was just obsessed with all things sci-fi. And currently? He was about to make us late for school.

Now, it isn't a wonder why I'm so irritated. So far, we're seven months into school, and we've been tardy more times than I can count on ten hands. Unfortunately, I made a promise to pick Sam up every day because he didn't have a car of his own, and I had to drive him to school. And I don't break my promises, ever. Hunter Creek High is pretty lenient on tardies, but the principal directly told both of us that it was getting a little ridiculous.

"This one is going to work. I can feel it Max. Just let me test it." 'The beauty' as Sam called it, was supposedly a time machine. He had been trying to construct a working one for as long as I'd known him. Everyone tried to convince him time travel wasn't possible, and that he should leave it for the novels, but he'd never give up. As much as Sam annoyed me sometimes, that was something I could admire about him. Determination.

"Sam!" I shouted. "Get your ass in the truck _now_!" I pointed over at my vehicle.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"_Goddamit_!" Translation: I am not getting tossed out of school just because Sam can't tear himself away from his project. "I'll test it for you then." I stomped over and for the first time, took a good look at the machine. It was metal and very patchwork, almost as if you took the different parts of twenty cars from a junkyard and glued them all together with a glue gun. Knowing Sam, he probably did. One thing was for sure, this wasn't any Tardis.

I stepped inside the machine and slammed the door right in Sam's face, giving him a nasty glare as I went. The inside of the 'time machine' was a bit nicer, a bit shinier, but when I stepped inside, one key factor popped out to me. There was a large keypad in the center of one of the walls, with the numbers 0-9 and a large green button. In Sam's messy scrawl above the keypad were the words: _Type your time period._

"Max!" Sam banged on the wall. "It isn't safe! You could get lost in time! Or mess with the space-time continuum. What if you ruin the American Revolution, Max?" I chuckled to myself at his worry. I knew this thing wouldn't work, and deep down inside he had to know that too.

Without thinking, I brushed a bit of my long, dirty blonde hair out of my eyes and punched in a random year. Did it really matter what I typed? No, no it didn't.

I slammed my hand on the green button. Nothing happened.

"Huh, Sam? What did I tell you?" I shouted. "It didn't work. Now can we _please _get to scho-"

I was cut off as the ground beneath me started shaking. The metal walls started trembling. An earthquake maybe? No, a twister? I ran over to the door and tried to yank it open. If I didn't get out, this thing was going to collapse on me.

It was locked. The damn door was locked.

I tried kicking the wall, but I was shaking too much, and I soon sank to the ground. I blinked back tears and threw my head in my hands. I didn't want to die in Sam's stupid machine! I'm supposed to be at school, safe, not it some horrific earthquake… or whatever the hell this is.

With a sudden jerk, the shaking stopped. I looked up. The walls were secure. I was okay. But what about…

"Sam?" I cried. "Are you okay out there?" I went for the door again. This time, the door opened with a click. I stepped outside, relieved, but Sam was nowhere to be seen. Neither was my truck. Nor Sam's house or garage. I tightened my grip on my backpack full of school supplies.

In fact, I saw nothing much at all. It was obvious I was in an alley, next to two brick buildings. I did _not_ know this part of town that was for sure. Had the earthquake (tornado, twister?) really moved me all the way over… wherever I was.

I turned around to look at the machine, but when I turned around, the hunk of metal was no longer there. And this was where I started hyperventilating. Where did the thing go? All I had done was turn around!

_Think, Max, think. Gather your whereabouts, that's the best thing to do._ Taking a collective breath, I walked towards one end of the alley and peered around the corner. The sight I saw gathered a huge gasp from me, and then my hand covering my own mouth as my eyes widened in shock.

The streets were no longer asphalt, but brick and dust. There were no whizzing cars, but horses and carriages. The buildings were varying sizes and all very elegant, not the way they were supposed to be, which was large and corporate. But what struck me most was the people. Nobody wore casual pants or jeans or hoodies. Elaborate dresses and fancy shirts hit me smack in the face with a realization.

Sam was right. He really _had_ known this one would work.

I let out a choked sob in my hand. I was stuck who knows where in who knows what time period. This wasn't the best way to spend a Monday.

_No. _I told myself. _I am Maximum Ride, and I don't break down._

I began to back away, not taking my sights off the elaborate streets when I felt a light hand on my back. I whirled around instantly and raised a fist.

A mocha-skinned girl stood right behind me with a smile on her face, and I lowered my fist. She was wearing a peach-colored dress that was quite large and poofy.

"Hello." She greeted, still smiling. "I saw you standing there and you looked a bit confused. Can I help you?"

"No." I said immediately. "Wait, yes." I changed my mind. "Would you mind telling me where we are?"

Her jaw dropped. "Why? You don't know? We're in Pitha. The capital city." Obviously she noticed the confusion still written on my face because she elaborated.

"You're in the kingdom of Itex."

**So… any thoughts? Opinions are always nice, good, bad or in between. Thanks for reading.**

**Follow and review if you enjoyed it!**

**~Cake.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello readers! Here's the second chapter of Blast to the Past. Last chapter, I didn't get quite the reaction I wanted for this story, but I'm going to continue anyway. For those of you who did review, I thank you. Unless you're an author yourself, you don't know how much one review saying as much as a simple 'Update soon!' can mean to a person.**

**Ch. 2:**

**Max POV**

"Itex?" I balked. Where the hell was Itex? As far as I was concerned, from taking World History in freshman year, there was no Itex.

"Why, yes." The girl laughed. "Where are you from?" She asked politely, but didn't give me the time to answer. "Obviously not from around here. My, your clothes are strange! And not hearing of Itex? We're the most dominant kingdom that I myself have ever heard of. We've won all the wars we've ever been in. Or have we? I should really pay better attention when papa is giving his lectures and-" She broke off and gave me an understanding gaze. "All the ladies in the court say I talk too much." She blushed. "I take it you agree?"

I nodded.

"Well, let's start simple. I'm Monique, but you can call me Nudge. Almost everyone does! And you?" She extended a hand to me.

"I… um…" I shook myself out of my daze. I was talking to a part of history! "I'm Maximum. I go back Max, though." I added quickly.

"Where are you from?" She asked curiously, eyeing me up and down.

"I'm from Boston." I replied immediately, not thinking it through. She frowned at me. "It's, um, the capital city of the faraway kingdom Massachusetts…onia."

"Massachusettsonia?" Nudge furrowed her brow. "I've never heard of it."

"It's because it's so far away." I said quickly, "And it's very small. Not many know about it." I smiled nervously.

"Well, what brought you here?" Nudge asked, adding on to her question pile. I wanted to scowl and tell her to mind her own business, but she was too nice. Not to mention if I saw a random girl dressed in clothes from another era from a place called 'Massachusettsonia', I'd probably be asking questions too.

"Just… exploring. Seeing the world outside my small town."

"Well, where's your husband?" This one caused a violent cough to rack through my body.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you certainly couldn't travel outside your kingdom without a male escort, could you?" Nudge smiled confusedly.

"Of course I could! We have a thing called woman's rights in the United- in Massachusettsonia! I don't even have a husband!" My voice escalated.

"Oh, I'm sorry. We don't have that here." Nudge looked down. "I didn't know."

"It's fine." I sighed, and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I probably should have brought someone with me. I'm not even sure how to get back home now."

Nudge brightened her look. "I'm sure I can help! Come back with me to my place. There are tons of extra rooms, trust me. Maybe papa can help you find your way home." She looked at me hopefully. "But… you'll need to borrow some of my clothes. Women aren't allowed to wear trousers in the kingdom." I bit my lip to keep myself from defending my right to wear jeans.

My brain deftly sorted through my options. It seemed clear that I only had two. I could say no, and wander around this different century in this different place, all alone. Or I could go with Nudge, who believed her father could help, and had ways (or dresses…) to help me blend into this era.

I smiled the best I could at that moment, and I'm sure it came out more of a grimace, as Sam said it did when I was upset. "That would be great."

* * *

"We're here!" Nudge sing-songed. I can tell already that I visibly paled at our location. Nudge and I were standing in front of a large… castle? Palace? Whatever you wanted to call it, it was big, beautiful, and a place I desperately wanted to avoid.

"I thought you said you were taking me to your house!" I choked out.

"I am. This is where I live." She laughed. "My papa is the king, and my mama is the queen. I must have forgotten to tell you." She chuckled. After all those questions and all that blabbering, she forgot to tell me that she was a freaking princess?!

We walked up to the gates, and I'm not ashamed to say I somewhat hid behind Nudge as we approached the guards.

"Princess," One of them tipped his hat. "This is…" He gestured to me.

"A guest." Nudge announced, sounding suddenly regal. "Tell mama and papa that she'll be staying in the palace. She isn't from around here and this is where she will remain for the duration of her stay in Itex."

"Come on!" She pulled on my arm once we were past the gate. "Good lord, I hate talking like that! Papa says I need to talk like that to show authority, but it's so annoying! I mean, it's not like I'm ever going to become queen, so why do I have to learn all about the kingdom and act like I have any authority at all!" She ranted.

"Wait, you're not going to become the queen?" I questioned.

"Nope." She shook her head. "When my older brother weds, his wife will be queen. Not that he'll ever wed." She rolled her eyes. "He thinks of himself as some sort of magnet to women of all kinds! He also thinks no one is good enough for him. But even if I had no brother, I could never be queen. My papa found me on a hillside when I was no older than two years, but the people of Itex won't accept anything but a _true_ bloodline royal heir."

"Oh." I said, dumbfounded. There was nothing for me to add.

I felt myself being pulled left and right, and then left again through the halls of this large place. It seemed at every turn, there was something more elegant than I had seen at the last second. A chandelier, then a beautiful still life, followed by an elegant staircase I was pulled up by a surprisingly strong princess.

Finally, I was pulled inside a large room with a large pink bed, a glass chandelier, and a plush, white chair. There was a wooden bookcase to the side of the room, intricately carved with different patterns. The most prominent feature in the room, though, was the large mirror covering an entire wall. I dropped my backpack on the ground and let it rest there.

Nudge rushed over to the mirror while telling me, "This is my room, and this," She grabbed a handle on the mirror and pulled it open with a grunt, "is my closet." A huge walk-in closet was revealed with more dresses and shoes in it than I could count. If my jaw was ever closed from the minute I stepped in that room, it was definitely open now.

Nudge let out a large laugh before getting to work. "Here," She thrust a dress at me. "This is the one I was looking for. It will look _great_ on you!" She squealed. I gave the dress a once over. It was blue, ruffled, and it had a corset.

"No." I said flatly.

Nudge looked astonished. "Excuse me?"

"I am not putting on a corset!"

"My roof, my rules." Nudge huffed, stealing one of my dad's favorite catch phrases. "I'll help you put it on if you want."

Once Nudge had done up the strings on my poofy death trap, three things were clear. My ribs would be broken my tonight, I had no circulation, and I couldn't breathe. Nudge, oblivious to my pain, looked up to the simple, but elegant clock that adorned one of her walls.

"Oh, my!" She exclaimed. "I have lessons right now, and I'm going to be late. Max, feel free to wander around. It's quite boring here most of the time, though." With those parting words, she rushed out the door.

Almost a thousand times I told myself to stay put, not to leave the room. Unfortunately, my curiosity got the best of me. I was in a palace in the past, when would this ever happen again?

I attempted to go back through the rooms Nudge had dragged me through, really looking this time. I studied the art work, looked at the busy maids running around, and watched people conversing. In this dress, I really did seem to fit in, painful as it was. If those jeans had stayed on and Nudge wasn't around, I got the eerie feeling I would've ended up in some sort of jail cell.

Left, right, left, or was that right? I tried to recount my steps as I attempted to make my way back to Nudge's room after some time of observing. Obviously, directions weren't my strong suit. Rushing back and forth, I tried to find a landmark I remembered. A memorable statue, maybe? No luck.

After what seemed like an hour of wandering hopelessly, my ribs were aching and my breathing was getting labored. I grabbed a near doorknob and yanked the door open. Luckily, there was no one inside.

The walls were a bland off-white, and the furniture all gray and black. It seemed like the perfect guest room, seeing as there were no personal belongings strewn anywhere and there was no personality in the decor. With a contented sigh, I let myself sit down on the bed and take a rest.

Just as I was about to get up and resume my search for Nudge's room, I heard the door creek open, followed by a voice.

"_What_ are you doing in my room?"

**Review and follow! It means the world to me.**

**Sorry if this came out weird. :P I was getting pretty sidetracked while writing because Shakira blasting through my earbuds. I can't resist singing along to Hips Don't Lie. :D**

**I'll try to update ASAP.**

**~Cake.**


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